


Good Pairings

by LostBloodline



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Set It Up (2018) Fusion, Arya is Jon’s Assistant, Gen, Gendry is Dany’s Assistant, Modern Westeros, Sandor & arya banter, Workplace AU, Workplace Relationship, modern gendrya
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-05-20 05:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19370323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostBloodline/pseuds/LostBloodline
Summary: “Maybe all the two need is a good shag.”—Two fed up and overworked assistants hatch a severely flawed plan to make their jobs (and their lives) much easier. However, Arya and Gendry find out that making their bosses, Jon and Daenerys, fall in love isn’t as easy as it seems—especially when they seem to be falling for each other instead.[Set it Up movie Modern AU (Premise, won’t really follow the plot)]





	1. What Everyone Really Needs

Gendry was, quite literally, in a race to keep his job. As he waded through the busy sea of corporate workers alike, the heels of his shoes swiftly and frantically tapped the marble floors of the lobby of King’s Landing Building. He balanced three cups of coffee per hand as they threatened to spill all over his freshly pressed suit.

“ _Five minutes ‘til 8,”_ he thought as he skipped and slid past another group of clean-cut professional snoots probably discussing their latest financial conquests. “I can make it.” he said under heaving breaths.

He’d been late and arrived to work after his boss once before on one of her bad days, and Gendry swears she’d transformed into— into something else. At the moment, the only thing he could think of likening her to was a dragon about to devour her prey— or set it on fire— probably both. She was normally a pleasant and kind boss, but she had her moods— and boy were those moods. One day, she could be the most diplomatic and generous woman you’d ever seen, and the next she was nothing short of a bitch— a bitch with a fiery temper and a fragile ego.

The dark-haired man reached a nearly empty elevator and began to relax.

As he peeped a glance at his watch he sighed in relief. “Four minutes ‘til 8” he said to himself. “It’s a two-minute lift ride to the 20th floor. I’m definitely gonna make it.” Gendry then gave the close button a quick tap, and then pressed it two more times for good measure. The elevator doors began to close and his heart could finally stop trying to jump out of his chest.

“Hold the lift!”

Gendry’s head snapped up towards the voice and saw a short-haired girl running towards his direction.

“ _She’s too far,”_ he thought. “ _I won’t make it in time.”_

Ignoring his conscience and normally sound morals, he began frantically tapping the lift’s close button in an attempt to speed up its imminent ascent.

“Wait!” the girl cried.

“Sorry.” Gendry mouthed as the doors finally met in the middle.

A few pairs of judging eyes bore holes into the back of Gendry’s head. As guilty as Gendry felt, he was more scared of his boss, so his rude and inconsiderate little act could be ignored— for now.

As the lift reached the 20th floor, Gendry was only a wee bit short of jumping out and was greeted by Missandei, the receptionist, with an almost pitying smile.

“She hasn’t arrived yet!” She raised her hands as if to calm him. “But she’ll probably be in soon. Better hurry.”

He gestured a cup-bearing hand to thank her as he hurriedly made his way throughout the maze of the office. Careful not to spill any of the drinks, he placed four of them on other desks along the way until he made it to the largest and relatively grandest enclosed room there was. He peeked through the glass of the room, and when he had confirmed that it was indeed empty, he fumbled with the keys a bit and pushed the door open.

“Daenerys isn’t here yet.” Gendry sighed in relief. “Thank God.” He placed her cup of coffee on her desk as he began his morning routine of putting everything in order as she liked it to be.

Daenerys was a passionate and brilliant woman— but she could be very forfgetful and even neglectful. He often even had to buy her dogs food (she would bring all three of them to the office). After a few minutes of filing papers, lighting candles, adjusting the airconditioning (weirdly, it was the summertime but she preferred the heater on), and setting up the dogs’ little area in the corner of the room, Gendry slipped out the door and found his way to his cubicle right outside his boss’ glass-encased room.

He sat down and finally took a sip of his own coffee.

It was difficult being Daenerys’ personal assistant— but he had hoped it would be worth it. She was the leading magazine publisher in Westeros, and she had taken a liking to his work ethic making him her assistant a few years ago. He knew it wasn’t exactly a prestigious job (not to talk about being stuck as an assistant for four whole years) , but he had, admittedly, come from almost nothing, and she and the company treated him well. He was bound to be promoted anyway, or that’s what Dany had always encouraged him with. Promotion would not only free him from the rut of his past, but would give him a chance to fulfill his dreams—to give a voice to the voiceless. Tell the stories of society’s marginalized. It helped that Daenerys was a famous philanthropist— popular in the public sphere for her charitable acts, beauty, and high-profile relationships. There were benefits of course to being her personal assistant— front row seats to events, direct interaction and advice from her as a storyteller, even the occasional and extravagant birthday and Christmas gifts. As he said, she was normally a good boss— a good boss with the occassional terrifying streak.

Almost white blond hair shone in the corner of his eye. As she drew nearer, he heard her mutter ominously “Who in the bloody hell gave my brother my new number.”

And from that moment, he knew that for the rest of the day, he would be screwed.

  
——————

  
_Gods could he be broody._  Arya loved her brother-slash-cousin to death but, family be damned, Jon could be a pain to work for.

She came in a little late to the office, thanks to some wanker who couldn’t wait a teensy little minute for her to get on the lift, and although Jon said he was completely fine with it, he proceeded to sulk for the better part of an hour in his office—passive aggressively replying to her queries.

“The fucker’s in an another one of those moods, eh?” _Ah, Sandor. The office brute._ He was a sourpuss that most of the staff avoided and feared, but Arya liked him.

“Yeah, he seems to be.” Arya nodded. “ _You’re_ always in a mood though, aren’t you Clegane?” She scrunched her face into a mock scowl. “ _Oi u fookers git the fook outta mi way.”_ Arya put her hands on her hips and comically swayed to her attempt at an impression of “The Hound”. ” _Better git those fookin copies to Snow or I’ll rip yur bloodi hed ooff!”_

The tall man gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes. “Tell Snow that I’ll be needing his decision on those copies before lunch.” he said as he walked away from her desk.

She fell back onto her seat and grinned. Taking a piss at Sandor was always good fun. She knew he never really minded as long as it came from her.

Arya rather liked the staff in Jon’s office. Tormund, Sam, Ed, Davos, Sandor— they were a fun and relatively rowdy bunch. One of the highlights of her boring days was interacting with and even messing with them.

She loved Jon to death but ever since Ygritte left, his broody little ways had only gotten worse. When she’d agreed to the job, as much as she appreciated his help, she didn’t think that it would be so... boring? Definitely not the same as doing fight scenes or jumping off CGI cliffs as a movie stunt double— but after her shoulder and knee injuries, doing all the extreme things she used to get paid for to do was out of the picture for a few years.

In fact, it was absolutely lovely of Jon to get their parents to agree to have her working again. _Menial tasks, father. That’s all she’ll need to do. She’ll just assist me around the office. No motor riding or wrestling with big burly men. I’ve really been needing an assistant since Olly was... vacated of the position. She’ll be fine. She needs to get out of the house._

And she did. But she was a quick-learner and she’d learned the ins and outs of her job quite swiftly within the six months of her employment. Finishing tasks hours ahead of schedule, she needed to find other things to occupy her time. These often included tormenting Sandor and horsing around with Tormund.

 _Speaking of Tormund..._ “Oi Giantsbane! Jon’s been bugging you about those reports for weeks!”

  
—————

  
He remembered that an article on Dany a few months back said that she was always “the last to leave the office”, highlighting her dedication to the job and refusal to leave without making the most of the day. However, the article’s author forgot to take into account that _he_  could only leave  _after_ Daenerys. Always the one to close the office, he had to make sure that her room and her files were in order—and that none of his coworkers were “frolicking” in their cubicles.

Gods he still remembers accidentally catching Missandei and Greyworm in the staff briefing room doing God knows what at some ungodly hour. He hadn’t been able to look Greyworm in the eyes for two weeks.

Part of those late nights (and sometimes even mornings) included running errands and/or grabbing gourmet meals for both her and her dogs as late as 3 in the morning. Today was one of those days. Luckily, he knew just the guy who could whip something up this late in the night. Hot Pie was a friend of his, a famous chef who did specialty made-to-order meals. He opened late and ended late— perfect for Daenerys’ late night cravings. Gendry typed out a quick message to his friend.

_Hot Pie! Another set of 5 please. 2 for me and the boss and 3 for the dogs. The usual. Thanks, mate._

**_Closing “early” today! Have a hot date, if you know what I mean. I have a few ones ready tho, some prick cancelled his order last minute. Mind picking them up in a few?_ **

_Oh yeah, thanks Hot Pie. Will be there in 15. Sorry for the trouble._

**_Will wait_**. 

“Dany.” Gendry popped his head in his boss’ office. “I’ll just pick up yours’ and the lads’ food.” He gestured to Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, her beloved dogs.

Dany hardly looked up from the laptop she was so vigorously typing at. “Thanks, Gendry. Be back soon, I need some copies made in the printing room.” She said as she waved him off.

He was about to turn to leave when she heard her call him.

“And Gendry,” she said looking straight at him now. “Sorry about giving you so much crap about that whole Viserys thing earlier. Not your fault.” The warmth in her voice usually only reserved for her speeches and the camera flowed through her words. Then she quickly went back to her work. “Hurry with that food, we’re absolutely starving.” The warmth was gone and she was once again buried in thoughts.

Ever since Dany’s highly public break-up with Daario Naharis, a popular local actor, she’d been more tense and her anger more frequent. Gendry remembered being at the receiving end of that anger for a long time. Daario had made her happy, but Dany wanted to focus on her career and he wanted to get married and start a family.

 _“If Dany is going to find a man, she needs someone who will let her embrace who she is. Not that she needs a man, really,”_  Gendry thought on the lift down. _Maybe she just needs to get laid._

  
————

  
The office was dark and empty—almost. Arya had packed up her things and was about to leave the office when she heard the sound of glass breaking from her older brother’s office.

“Jon? Are you alright?” Arya said, peeping into his office.

Jon stumbled a bit with some alcohol from his personal stash in hand. “I’m fine Arya, thank you.”

“Jon,” she approached him cautiously. “I think you need to sit down.”

“I’m fine, Arya.” He looked up at her and attempted a smile. “Thank you.”

She still proceeded to sit him down on the floor as she took her spot beside him. She glanced at the laptop on his desk and saw a picture of Ygritte and some blond guy on his instagram feed with his arm around her. “Oh”, she thought.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

“Me neither.” She joked.

Jon smiled. He’d been awfully sad since Ygritte moved away. She wanted to see the world. As much as he loved her, he couldn’t just leave everything behind. Ygritte took it to mean that he didn’t want to be together anymore, and they ended it at that. She’d been gone for more than a year and Jon still hadn’t quite moved on. He’d functioned well enough, but he could never really shake off the sadness in his eyes.

“Hey, Jon?”

“Yes, Arya?”

“How long’s it been since your last shag?”

As if the question alone rendered Jon completely sober, he sputtered to find words. “Excuse me?”

“How long has it been since you’ve slept with someone? 4 months? 5? 6?”

Jon looked at her bewildered. “Yeah, I have no plans of discussing my sex life with my younger sister. Thanks.”

“Oh c’mon, Jon.” Arya rolled her eyes. “We’re both adults— _I’m_ an adult. Just answer the question.”

“What does it matter if we’re adults? It’s  _weird_.” Jon shuddered at the last word. “Why does it matter anyway?” he said as he took another swig of the alcohol.

“Give me that.” Arya said as she took the bottle from him. “It does matter if you spend most of your time moping around all day. You’ve seemed awfully...” she paused “what’s the word?”

“Broody.” He said as he tried and failed to reach for the bottle in Arya’s hand. “You think I can’t hear you and Tormund making fun of me while I’m in my office? The people four floors up could probably hear Tormund.” The dark-haired man chuckled.

Arya winced. “Oops. Luv ya big bro.” She said as she handed him back the bottle.

“So what about my brooding sessions means I need a good shag?”

“I don’t know. You’ve seemed lonely.“ she looked straight at him now. “You haven’t quite been yourself since...”

“Since what?”

“Ygritte.” She looked down. “Ygritte has been gone for more than a year. For your sake, you need to move on.”

“I was with her for six years, Arya.” He smiled sadly. “You can’t just move on from that that quickly.”

She pointed to his laptop screen. “Seems like she has.”

For a moment Arya thought that, for the first time in her life, Jon would snap at her or shout at her— she didn’t expect what he would do next.

He sighed and gave her a small smile. “Sixteen months.”

“Sixteen what?”

“Sixteen months. I haven’t been with anyone for sixteen months.”

“Oh.” Arya looked down. “Oh.” She said as her eyes widened. “That’s about as long as...”

“Yep.” He said as he looked at her. “It is.”

“Damn. That’s why you’re so grumpy all the time.”

“My grumpiness has nothing to do with it. I’m just tired all the time, that’s all.” He said as he moved to get up. “And don’t go gossiping to Sansa. That girl doesn’t know how to keep a secret.”

Arya laughed. “You know what they say, ‘You want to make sure news gets out quicker? Let Sansa know and tell her it’s a secret.’”

Jon chuckled with her. “I’m hungry, wanna get a bite to eat?” He said with his hand stretched out towards his little sister.

“You’re in no condition to drive, Jon.” She smirked as she watched him stumble on his two feet.

“I don’t have to drive, silly.” He rolled his eyes. “I have a driver.”

Arya stood up and waved her hands to mock the older man. “I forgot you were some _fancy rich boss_.”

“I‘m _your_ boss, Arya.” He smiled as his eyes crinkled.

“Okay,  _boss_. You stay here and finish your reports for tomorrow. I’ll get the food. I know a place.” She smiled as she handed him a stack of papers from his desk. “I won’t be too long.” She said as she walked out his office.

“Get me whatever you got last time, yeah?” he called as she left. “ _Pot_  Pie’s, was it?”

“Yeah, sure, Jon. _Pot_ Pie’s it is!” she laughingly called back and whipped out her phone.

_Hot Pie! I need 2 meals asap pls! Omw to urs! C u._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is my first fic. Please feel free to leave suggestions and comments haha :(


	2. You Owe Me

“ _You._ ” Her voice was venomous, oozing with contempt.

“Me?” Gendry replied in confusion.

He was at the lift doors waiting for it to reach his floor when, as soon as it opened, a small and short-haired girl met his eyes.

“You’re the twat from this morning.” she said as she aggressively and repeatedly pushed the close button, hoping that, despite his proximity, he wouldn’t be able to get in.

Gendry lunged forward to place his arm and leg in between the closing doors. He squeezed himself in and successfully made it inside the lift.

“Shit.” Arya crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave up stopping the taller man from entering.

Initially eyeing her with confusion, Gendry’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh! You’re the girl from earlier!” he said, having gotten a better look at her now.

Arya refused to dignify him with any acknowledgement so she stepped to the side and leaned on the wall further from him.

They stood in silence for a minute until Gendry opened his mouth. “Sorry about earlier,” he leaned forward to gauge her reaction. “Was running late.” he popped out of his mouth.

Arya turned even further away.

When the lift doors opened at the lobby, the two both swiftly turned towards the main exit.

With Arya slightly ahead, she glared back at him when she felt him turn the same direction as she did upon exiting the building. “Stop following me.”

“I’m not following you.” Gendry said as he picked up the pace.

The two proceeded to brisk walk to their, unbeknownst to them, shared destination.

After walking together for around five minutes, and only a few feet away from Hot Pie’s, Arya threw her shoulder back and turned to punch Gendry, only to fall short when he dodged it.

She grimaced at the rush of throbbing pain in her joints due to her still recovering injury.

“What in the seven hells was that?” Gendry exclaimed, having recovered from only narrowly missing her strike. “Are you insane?”

“What are you, some stalker?” Arya spat at him as she rubbed her upper arm.

“Excuse me?”

“Stop following me!”

“I’m not following you,” He pointed towards Hot Pie’s. “I’m going there to pick up food.”

Slightly embarrassed, Arya turned back towards Hot Pie’s and made her way to the door with Gendry on her tail.

“Hot Pie!” she called, as she pushed the glass door open. “It’s Arya! Have those meals ready?”

“Arry?” Hot Pie peeped from the kitchen door, all dressed-up.

“I’m so sorry, Arry, I didn’t get your text.” He said, stepping out. “Gendry!” he exclaimed when he finally caught sight of the taller man. “You came just in time.” Hot Pie went back into the kitchen and emerged with five packed meals.

“Here you are, mate.” Hot Pie went to reach over and hand them to Gendry.

“Wait.” Arya interjected. “Hot Pie, do you have any more?”

“I’m afraid not Arry, I’m closing early. Have somewhere to be. Real sorry.” The tubby lad frowned. “Maybe you and Gendry could share or come to an arrangement,” he said, as he looked back and forth between his friends. “Do you two know each other?”

“No.” they said coldly in unison.

“Oh.” Hot Pie paused awkwardly and turned to Gendry. “That’ll be eighty-quid, mate.”

Gendry smirked as he reached into his pocket for his wallet.

Arya, swift and aggressive, shoved fifty-quid into Hot Pie’s face. “I’ll give you fifty just for two.” she said as she glared at Gendry from the corner of her eye.

Hot Pie stammered, caught between an angry staring match between the two. Taking the eighty that Gendry finally handed him, he told them, “I’ll be on my way now. Hopefully you two can come to a compromise,” he laughed nervously as he turned to leave. “You both know how to lock this place up, please don’t leave it in shambles. Thanks!” he called as he hurriedly closed the door behind him.

With that, Gendry turned to leave right before Arya grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

“What?” he said, turning back around. “Are you gonna punch me?”

“Please.” her eyes now softer than he’d seen all night. “My brother, I mean my boss, needs it.”

Gendry rolled his eyes. “My boss needs it too. If I don’t get these to her and her dogs she’ll have me fired.”

Arya raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Dogs?” she asked.

“Yes, dogs. What about it?”

The shorter girl peered into the bags’ contents. “That’,” she paused for emphasis. “That’s steak.”

“Oh Gods, you can see? Blessings from heaven, your eyes actually work.” Gendry remarked sarcastically as he yanked the bag away and began walking towards the door again.

“No, I mean, steak for a _dog_? Really?”

Gendry paused in exasperation. “Listen, I don’t have time to explain to some random girl why my boss thoroughly insists that her beloved dogs should only be fed the absolute finest. I’m still trying to explain it to myself, actually.” he looked at her genuinely apologetic. “Look, I’m sorry about the lift this morning, and for making it seem like I was following you. But I really _really_ have to leave or my boss will have my head.”

“My brother— I mean my boss, is hungry, sad, and really lonely. Please please _please_ just spare two of those meals?” she looked up at him pleadingly. “Just the dogs’ meals? He specifically asked for Pot Pie’s and it would really mean the world if I could get that for him.” she jutted out her bottom lip for extra appeal.

“Well you’re a whole lot nicer now than you were two-minutes ago, aren’t you?”

“Getting sort of desperate.” she nervously smiled.

Gendry sighed to relent and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “One meal. Just one.”

“Deal.” she replied, stretching her hand out with her payment for the food.

“I’ll give you my meal, not the dogs’. God knows the only thing worse than my hungry boss is her ravenous dogs.” he said as he handed her one of the bags. “You owe me, I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“Maybe you could say, we’re even? You know, the whole lift thing.” she grinned.

“We became even when you tried to punch me. Now,” he said, finally exiting the door and locking up, “ _you_ owe _me_.”

—————-

The walk, or swift jog rather, back to the office was relatively awkward. Neither said a word to each other until they’d reached the elevator.

“Why do you keep referring to your boss as your brother?” Gendry asked, not bothering to make eye contact with her.

“Because he is. He’s both my boss, and my brother.”

“So you’re his assistant?”

“Yes. Jon Snow’s.”

“A bit weird to be working for your brother, isn’t it?”

“Not too much.” she paused, rolling back and forth on her heels. “It seems like you’re an assistant too?”

“To Daenerys Targaeryen, yes.”

“Oh I’ve heard of her. The one who does all that charity work, yeah?”

Gendry only hummed in agreement leading to a few more seconds of silence.

“Aren’t you a bit too old to be an assistant?”

“I beg your pardon?” Gendry furrowed his brows, looking directly at her now.

“You’re like, 30, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you be past following someone around and doing whatever they please you to do?”

“First of all, _ouch_. Second, I’m only twenty-seven. Third, ouch again? And, no. I mean, a little,” he groaned in frustration. “It’s none of your business. What she does is great, and a promotion under her would set me years ahead. That’s that.”

_**Ding!** _

“This is my floor,” Gendry only slightly turned towards her. “Hope that steak makes your boss happy.”

“I know so. If only for a while,” she replied.

The terribly hungry and tired dark-haired man entered the dimly lit floor.

“Gendry!” he heard Arya call just as the doors were about to close, “Thank you.”

He chuckled as he proceeded towards his boss’ office. “You’re welcome, Arya.” he said more to himself than anyone else.

————-

Gendry had been in and out of the office all morning, frantically running errands since his day had begun. _Stormborn_ , Daenerys’ company, was launching a new online magazine in less than a month, and the whole office was swamped.

Gendry, finally allowed a quick break in his schedule, headed back to the office late in the afternoon after accompanying Daenerys to a meeting with a potential associate editor.

“Gendry!” Missandei exclaimed excitedly when he’d reached the front desk. “You didn’t tell me you had a new girlfriend!”

Confused, Gendry could only manage a “Huh?” in response to his friends accusation.

“Short hair? Grey eyes? Really pretty?”

“Missandei,” he raised an eyebrow, “What are you going on about?”

The curly-haired receptionist reached under her desk and placed a delicately packed meal on top. “A girl came in earlier looking for you. She passed by a few times to give it to you in person, but since you’ve been gone all morning she left it here and asked me to give it to you.”

Gendry took the packed lunch in his hands and read the note pasted on top.

 

_You told me I owe you one. And a Stark always pays her debts (sort of)._

_P.S. Text me at the number I wrote on the back. I have a splendid idea. Hear me out._

 

Gendry smirked at the neon-colored note.

“Well?” Missandei giddily waved her hands about. “Tell me about her! She seemed really cute! Gods I thought you were still with that _awful_ Mel—“

“Missandei.” Gendry gently interrupted. “I don’t have a new girlfriend. This one’s just someone paying a debt.” he shook his head as he smiled at his friend’s enthusiasm. “I guess I’m still with that _awful_ Mel.”

“Oops.” Missandei smiled, slightly embarrassed. “She is quite awful though, really.” she pat his arm as she giggled.

“Can’t disagree with that.” Gendry said as he turned to walk back to his cubicle. “But alas, I’m still with her, aren’t I?” he grinned and waved as he walked away.

———————

**[A series of texts exchanged between Gendry Waters and Arya Stark]**

 

_Thanks for the meal. Didn’t think you were such a good cook._

_Gendry Waters_

   
**Ure welcome n ty but my sister cooked that. She’s very generous once you pester her long enough. (Pls return that tupperware btw or she’ll have my head)**

  
_Will wash and return tomorrow. Thanks. What did you want to talk about?_

  
**I have a brilliant and absolutely splendid idea. We’re going to bring two people together and make both our lives so much better.**

  
_I have a girlfriend._

  
**???**

  
_?_

   
**I’m not— I wasn’t— what.**

  
_Oh. What._

   
**omg I’m not hitting on you. I don’t mean us. Gods i mean our bosses. Get ur head out of ur ass.**

  
_What do you mean ‘our bosses’?_

   
**Your boss, according to my amazing research skills, is single. From the short exchanges we’ve had, seems she’s pretty tense and angry. My boss, is sad all the time bc his gf left him like more than a year ago. Soo......?  
(Btw there’s a shortcut for that: “wdym”, ur age is showing)**

  
_So, what?_

   
**?? So ?? She’s young, he’s young. She’s fit, he’s fit (barf just called my brother fit). They’re both recovering from bad breakups (ty for the info omgnews.com). Plus, their constant stress is stressing us, the assistants, out!**

  
_I’m getting what you’re saying, but I don’t necessarily agree with you._

   
**SHAG ! They need to shag !!! We can bring them together, and set them up !!**

  
_Can we talk about this later, Arya? I’m sort of in the middle of work._

   
**R u making coffee rounds again**

   
_Yep. Ttyl._

   
**HE KNOWS WHAT TTYL MEANS.**

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments. Would be really open to constructive criticism please send help haha (but pls dont hurt me too much I’m fragile haha :( )
> 
> Sorry it’s kind of slow, faster developments soon :-)


	3. Assistant Equals Doormat?

 

 

Arya’s morning had consisted of a whole lot of writing, running, calling, and rubbing her temples. After her heartfelt conversation with Jon a few nights before, she’d convinced him that she was well on her way towards recovery and didn’t need to be confined to her desk for the entire duration of the day. 

“Jon” she’d exasperatedly reasoned in his office. “I’m twenty-four. I’m not a bloody child anymore. You don’t have to go soft on me because I’m your sister— Tormund and Sandor won’t get off my ass on how easy you are on me. They called it “babysitting”— as if _I_ was being paid for _them_ to watch me!”

Jon chuckled to himself. “It probably has less to do with how little you do than how much you bother them while they’re working.” 

“So you admit I don’t do much?” she raised an eyebrow back at him. “I got thinking about it and they’re not entirely wrong. I used to get paid to throw punches and jump off moving cars! I don’t need any special treatment. I’ve been here for more than half a year— I can take it, Jon.” 

“Alright.” Jon had shown nothing but a blank face—but Arya could have sworn there was a glimmer of... something else in his eyes. “You want the real work that an assistant does, I’ll give it to you.” he’d turned back to sit in his chair and hadn’t uttered another word the rest of the night. 

Arya had assumed she was victorious, but she couldn’t shake the gut feeling that it wasn’t really her who’d won.

Five days in and she was sure she’d gotten the raw end of the deal.  After agreeing to give her more tasks than filing papers and writing emails, Jon had swamped her with a tsunami of scheduling, planning, dry cleaning, and somehow even threatening.

“Listen, _Ed_ ,” The sharpness in her tone could cut someone’s throat. “I don’t care if Robyn-fucking-Arryn scheduled his appointment last week. If my boss does not get his curls refreshed and dyed as black as the devil’s anus this afternoon, I will head straight there after this call, find said anus, and shove your bloody head up it. Understood?” 

Arya had been on the phone for almost an hour, sending barely legal threats towards the receptionist at Jon’s favorite hairstylist to bump his appointment earlier because an urgent meeting had suddenly come up.

She’d smirked in triumph at the fear in Ed’s voice as she nodded into the phone. “Alright. Glad we could come to an arrangement, Ed. Thank you.” 

Jon was still mopey and mostly confined to sulking, but ‘tormenting’ her, in the way that the opportunity she presented allowed him to, had seemed to provide him with a bit of a distraction and entertainment. She was glad he wasn’t as gloomy as he usually was, but she was resentful that it was at her expense. 

She was about to groan internally when her eyes widened at the realization that she forgot to have lunch delivered. “Bloody hell.” It wasn’t so much as she was scared of Jon or getting fired, but because she was a winner who most definitely _did not_ do anything subpar. But more importantly, her pride was at stake and she would _never_ admit to her older brother that she couldn’t handle being his bloody assistant. 

She grumbled as she rushed to the lift to buy roast chicken and kale at the restaurant across the street. “Bloody Jon and his healthy living and diets. Could’ve just ordered fried chicken and chips.”

 

————

 

Paper flew all over the floor of the copy room. “Sorry.” Gendry mumbled as he practically flew past Pono, another staffer, to get to the office’s meeting room.

Daenerys’ assistant rushed towards the frosted-glass lined room, delivering the copies that Dany had demanded fifteen minutes ago. She  was attending a heated meeting with representatives of _Astapor_ , a company known for their less than legal methods and questionable ventures.  

As Gendry slowly entered the room, he immediately felt the less than welcoming contempt in the air. 

“You’d be mad to turn down this offer, Ms. Targaryen. If you’re truly as brilliant as the media paints you to be, then you would know that no other company would be willing to invest this much to partner with you in your future projects.” 

 “I am neither blind nor stupid, Mr. Kraznys.” Daenerys replied, unfazed by the passive insult. “I do see the the paper you so casually slid onto the table, and I must admit that the amount written on it is ridiculous, but,” she stood up from her chair and slowly approached the tall man she was addressing. “My consultant Jorah,” she gestured towards her trusted advisor seated along the conference table, “informs me that your company is in hot waters with the public, as _Astapor_ continuously pours their finances into projects heavily associated with deforestation.”

“Now you listen here,” Kraznys rose in his seat to raise a finger at Daenerys. “ _Stormborn_ is lucky that—“

“No, you listen, Mr. Kraznys.” the Dragon Queen, as they’d monikered her for her ferocity, rose her chin in defiance. “We invited you here as a courtesy. You can throw all the numbers you want at me. If you continue to disregard the principles our company stands by, then—“ 

“I think what Ms. Targaeryen is trying to say,” Editor-in-Chief Tyrion Lannister piped up in an attempt to dissipate the intensity of the heated exchange in the room, “is that unless you discontinue your frowned upon endeavors, we regretfully decline your offer.”

Kraznys opened his mouth to say something, whether in defiance or submission Gendry did not know, when his boss spoke again.

“Excuse me, Mr. Lannister, but I do not mean to say that we regretfully decline your offer for now,” she shot Tyrion an annoyed glance, “but what I’m saying is, and please listen carefully Mr. Kraznys for it seems you are hard of hearing,” her lips curled up into an almost smirk, but she still maintained her diplomatic yet imposing facade, “the answer is a resounding no.”  

The lawyers and board members who accompanied Kraznys rose from their seats as if to threaten her.  

“Greyworm,” she turned back to sit in her seat. “Kindly show Mr. Kraznys and his colleagues out.” 

Daenerys’ high-profile and highly public life had brought her an unnerving amount of stalkers and threats. Greyworm was her bodyguard— loyal to a fault. Gendry was convinced that he would kill a man if she asked him to, which, now that he thought about it, wasn’t entirely impossible. 

Greyworm escorted the men out as Daenerys had commanded, and nodded to Gendry as he passed by him at the door. 

Greyworm was a quiet man, responding mostly in nods and barely audible chuckles. But his girlfriend, Missandei, could bring out a side of him Gendry didn’t know existed. They’d gone out together for drinks once before, and the usually silent fellow had thrown out jokes left and right with the curly-haired beauty tucked underneath his arm.

_“Love really draws people out, doesn’t it?”_ Gendry thought to himself. _“Even for someone as void of emotion as Greyworm.”_

 “Tyrion,” Gendry was snapped out of his thoughts by Daenerys’ sharp tone. “If you interrupt me at any meeting ever again, that will be your last time in this office.” 

“Of course, Dany, forgive me. I’d only attempted to keep Kraznys from throwing his chair out the window. From how hard he was gripping the table, I was almost sure he’d nearly exploded.” Tyrion attempted and failed at a light-hearted chuckle. 

“I had it under control.” She replied. Gendry wasn’t sure if she actually had, but by the way she carried herself and captivated everyone in the room, he was nearly convinced. 

“And Gendry,” she turned to him. “I asked for those copies an hour ago. Next time, don’t make me wait.”  

She’d only asked for them twenty minutes ago but Gendry wasn’t going to argue. “Yes, of course, Dany.”  

“Follow me to my office and fill me in on my schedule,” Daenerys moved to exit the room. “And confirm that dinner for me with that potential investor— _Mereen_ , was it? I’ll need you to come and prepare all the documents needed.” 

Panic quickly spread on Gendry’s face. He had a long postponed dinner scheduled with his girlfriend, Mel, that night. She wasn’t exactly the patient or forgiving type. “I—“ he attempted to protest.

“Problem?” Daenerys quirked an eyebrow at him. 

“I just wanted to know if you wanted it at that Japanese or Greek place that you like.”

“Greek.” she smiled lightly. “Thank you for remembering.” she walked past Gendry and the heavy pile of papers he had stacked in his arms. 

Gendry groaned internally and made his way to follow her after nodding his goodbyes to Jorah and Tyrion. 

“Mel is going to kill me.” he mumbled under his breath as he imagined all the ways his girlfriend could possibly end his life. “With leeches, maybe.” 

 

——-

 

Arya had arrived home later than expected. She had just finished bringing Ghost to the vet. She loved Jon but Gods, did he need to pay more attention to his dog. 

She rubbed her shoulder, sore from trying to coax Jon’s giant husky into the Vet’s office. As she inserted her house key inside its keyhole, she heard the slightest sound of shifting furniture. 

_“Sansa’s supposed to be sleeping over at Theon’s.”_ she thought. 

It wasn’t the first time she’d walked in on some thief attempting to steal from their apartment. But boy, that burglar was not prepared for Arya- _freaking_ -Stark. She’d used her combat skills to snap her foot across his face like a lasso, promptly knocking him out.  

She smirked at the memory, but her triumphant glower was replaced by worry— she wasn’t in the same shape she was before. She could probably still give whoever was in there a proper fight, but she wouldn’t do it as handily as she should. She was about to dial the police on her phone when she heard giggling coming from the other side of the door.  

“Sansa?” she called as poked her head in. And the sight she’d come across was worse than catching any thief. “Gods, San! Could you have atleast told me you’d be here?” Arya mock covered her eyes. “Or atleast do whatever you’re doing, _I don’t know_ , in _your_ room and not our shared living space?” 

“Oh grow up, Arya.” Sansa called from the living room. “You’re acting as if we were shagging, or something.” 

“Oh it’s worse, much worse.” Arya proceeded towards the kitchen, one hand still hovering over her eyes. “You two were cuddling!” she cried. “Like bloody teenagers!” she swung around to open the refrigerator. 

Theon, Sansa’s longtime boyfriend, let out a hearty laugh. “Hello to you too, Arya.”

“C’mon, Theon,” Sansa motioned for him to get up from the couch. “We might burn Arya’s eyes out with our sick _sick_ affection.” She laughed as she gave Arya a quick kiss on the cheek on their way to her room. 

“Gross, San.” Arya wrinkled her nose then laughed fondly.

“Maybe if you had a boyfriend you wouldn’t be so appalled by natural gestures of affection.” Sansa said as she pulled Theon to follow her. 

“You know I don't have time to date!” She called back, still carefully surveying the fridge for her next meal. “Even more so now.” she grumbled resentfully.  

“Thought working for Jon was a bore?” Theon asked. 

“My silly little sister insisted a few days ago that she could handle more work.” Sansa rolled her eyes playfully. “Jon was reluctant but eventually gave in, you know Arya and her insistence, and now she’s probably too prideful to admit that she can’t handle it.” The tall red-head laughed as she closed the door to her room.  

“I can _so_ handle it.” Arya replied, more to herself than to Sansa. 

After picking out the ingredients for a sandwich, she took a quick skim through her phone. Five days had passed and Gendry still hadn’t gotten back to her, and she was pissed. She needed Jon properly distracted and happy now more than ever. She huffed as she shoved her phone back in her pocket and went on to make her very late dinner.

 

———

 

“Pod,” Gendry called from outside his apartment. “I’m coming in.” 

He cautiously opened the door to his flat. 

“Why do you do that every time you come home?” Podrick, Gendry’s roommate, asked from the living room couch.

“I never know when you have someone over.” He grimaced at the recollection of accidentally walking in on Podrick with a woman. “Accidentally catching you in the act has forever scarred me, you know that.”

“Aye, you won't let me forget.” Podrick managed to say, his mouth stuffed with chicken. “Where’s Mel?” he asked through greasy lips. 

“Pissed at me,” he huffed as he took his spot beside Podrick. “And rightfully so. Had to cancel our date again because Dany needed me to go to dinner with her.”

“I’m confused,” Podrick, having finally swallowed his food, turned to Gendry with a jesting smile, “Are you dating Mel or Daenerys? Seems  to me like you take Dany out on far more dates than you do your actual girlfriend.”  

Gendry ran his hands over his face. “I know, I know. I’m a shitty boyfriend.” 

“Nah, mate, you’re not a bad boyfriend.” Podrick replied as he pat his greasy hands on Gendry’s back. “You’re just— what do they call it? The thing that people walk all over? What was it? You know, ‘dirty, beaten, just lies there to be stepped on’.” Podrick placed a finger on his chin in mock thought then placed his finger upwards in a moment of eureka. “A doormat! You, my dear friend, are your boss’ bloody good doormat.” 

Gendry jokingly glared at his dark-haired friend. “So an assistant— I’m an assistant who’s damn good at his job.” 

“Whatever makes you feel better.” Podrick said as he leaned back into the couch. “I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over Mel tho— now _that’s_ a bad girlfriend.” 

“So she forgot a couple birthdays.” Gendry reasoned as Podrick looked at him an eyebrow quirked. “And anniversaries.”

Podrick raised his eyebrow even further up.

“And, well, anything else that meant something to me.” Gendry shrugged his shoulders. 

“Also, all she talks about is that Lord of Light crap.” Podrick moved to clear his plate. “Like, what even is that?”

“I have no idea.” Gendry laughed as he shook his head. “And I’m dating her.”

Podrick grinned. “Well, if you want to keep on dating her,” Podrick stood from the couch, his dirty dishes in hand. “You’d better find a way to not be such a doormat.” he shrugged as he made his way towards the kitchen.

Alone in the living room, Gendry sighed as he rested his head back. 

_“He’s right.”_ he thought. Almost reluctantly, he took his phone from his pocket and typed. 

  

_I’m in._

_Gendry Waters_

  

**U don’t need to sign off ur texts i know its u stupid.**

**But more importantly, HELL YES. FINALLY. I THOUGHT U DIED. Meet me at my floor during lunch break tomorrow.**

 

_I’ll see you there._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, comments are terribly appreciated! <3 All the love! (I promise Jon and Dany will meet soon)
> 
> P.S. please forgive me (and feel free to correct me) if I make any mistakes regarding corporate things. I'm still in uni and have yet to enter the corporate world hahaha :-D


	4. I Have a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up: this chap is pretty dialogue heavy! :)

* * *

 

The cool wind hit Gendry like a whip. Once he’d gained his composure at the sudden change in temperature, his eyes travelled the large and vast floor of Arya’s office. In contrast to the sandy and dark red tones he was used to, this floor was a pleasing composition of icy blues and greys. Thus, the various black clothing worn by majority of the staff was made even more obvious in contrast to the paleness of the office interior.  _Hell, practically every damn person here is in black._  Gendry observed as another lad clad in a black polo passed by him. 

_It’s bloody freezing in here_. The dark-haired boy, used to his boss’ insistence on increasing the heating to the maximum on their floor, shuddered as the cold wrapped around his body. 

He scanned the floor and spotted Arya on her desk, fiddling with a small knife, to the left of the lift with her table close to the wall. 

“Is there a funeral here or something?” He asked as he approached her. 

She quirked a brow upwards in response. “What do you mean?”

“There probably isn’t a single person in here that isn’t wearing black.” He turned his head as his eyes fluttered across the room. “I feel like I’m in some scene from the Matrix. Or an episode of the Addams family.” 

Arya snorted and rolled her eyes. “Hilarious.” 

“Or at a My Chemical Romance concert.” Gendry suppressed his smile at his own joke.

“Have anymore?” She looked at him, bored and completely unfazed by his sorry attempts at quips.

“Or, or,” Gendry excitedly piped up. “A punk rock convention in 2009—“

“I get it Gendry. God,” She looked up at him. “The company’s named Castle Black. Jon’s some priss that requires everyone to wear something black everyday.” She swung back in her chair, still toying with the knife. “Something about unity and brotherhood and camaraderie— you know, that sappy shit.” 

Gendry eyed her from head to toe. She was wearing a grey satin blouse and dark jeans. “You’re not wearing anything black, though.” He raised his left eyebrow. “Exempt ‘cause your the boss’ baby sister?” He smirked.

“Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean I’m not wearing it.” She attempted to suppress her laughter as she raised both eyebrows suggestively. 

He furrowed his brows and looked towards her feet. “Your socks are blue.” Confused, he tilted his head at her like a lost puppy.

She gave him an exasperated sigh. “Not my socks, you idiot.”

Arya could almost hear the gears turn in Gendry’s head.

“Nevermind.” Arya waived her hand to dismiss him and motioned for him to take a seat across from her. 

As soon as he sat down, she slapped a hand on her desk. “I just really have to ask, Gendry,” She shook her head. “How have you done it?”

“Done what?”

“Been an assistant for four years. It’s absolutely agonizing.” Her eyes widened and her brows furrowed.

“I ask myself that everyday.” Gendry managed a chuckle. “Coffee runs, dry cleaning, throwing out her dogs’ crap, getting dragged to meetings at two am— four years of that and yet,” he rose his hands for emphasis, “Somehow, I’m still here.”

“You know yesterday,” Arya leaned towards him as if telling him a secret. “I practically sent death threats to some receptionist downtown for Jon.” She looked over at the phone on her desk. “Not my proudest moment, if I’m honest.”

“You boss made you send death threats to some stranger?” Gendry, looking mortified and utterly confused, asked. Daenerys could be a pain but he wasn’t going to set his boss up with some  _psychopath_  who got off by having his assistant send random people death threats.

“Well, not directly,” Arya emphasized as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, I needed to bump his schedule at the hairdresser up and Ed, that’s the receptionist, just wouldn’t budge! You wouldn’t believe how long I spent on the phone with him.” Arya shrugged.

“And...” Gendry lead, “that required you to torment an innocent receptionist by threatening to kill him?” He asked slowly as he cocked his head in wary confusion.

“All I did was threaten to shove his head up the devil’s arsehole.” she said it like it was the most natural thing someone could say to a stranger on the phone. “There are much more graphic things I could have said.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

_Oh. She’s the psychopath_. “Real classy.” He replied, scared but somewhat relieved. 

“Oh, piss off. I’m sure you’ve done plenty like that.”

“No, not really.” Gendry shook his head then paused. “Well, maybe once.” He smirked as he remembered how he’d threatened to beat Hot Pie up with his own frying pan if he didn’t get Daenerys her lunch on time, and now they were practically best mates.

“Don’t you just sometimes,” she wrapped her hands around an imaginary neck and squeezed. “Have the sudden urge to strangle your boss, you know what I mean?”

“Don’t you work for your brother?”

“What about it?” Arya quirked an eyebrow. 

“Nothing.”  _Oh. So she‘s a very violent psychopath._

“So?” she continued. “Do you?”

“Well, sometimes, I guess.” Gendry looked up to think. “I mean, she can be harsh and all, but she’s such an inspiration, honestly. She captivates people.” He shrugged. Despite all he’d been through, Gendry still respected her beyond words—maybe he sometimes resented her, but it never really went further than that. 

“Let’s hope she captivates my brother well enough.”

“Isn’t it a little weird though— being the boss’ younger sister and all?” Gendry asked. “But I’m guessing it has it perks, yeah?” He laughed. “No one can hurt me or I’ll tell my big brother and you’ll get fired.” he went three pitches higher in an attempt to copy Arya’s voice—and failed badly.

“Oh piss off.” She rolled her eyes. “No one would do anything to get on my nerves period. I could shove a man’s hand so far up his ass he’d be shitting his fingers out for weeks.” 

Gendry scoffed. “Oh, yeah, sure.” he nodded his head with just enough vigor to be sarcastic. “I believe that.”

“Try me.” she replied, her lips pressed into a tight line. “C’mon. Give me your hand.”

“Calm down, Freddie Krueger. T’was only a jest.” Gendry said as he attempted to ruffle her hair, only for her to swat his hand away. “What’s with you and shoving things up people’s arseholes, anyway? Weird kink, if you ask me.” He smirked as she glowered and blushed.

“I wasn’t,” she glared back at him. ”Stay out of my sex life.” 

“You wish.” He laughed. “I want absolutely nothing to do with that.” He smirked as she furrowed her brows at him. “And that’s a whole lot of brutality for eleven in the morning, innit?” 

“I’m sorry, is there a time to be brutal and a time not to be?” she stared at him with her chin raised upwards. “Do you have a schedule?” she said with her hands on her hips as she rose from her seat. “Oh please do send me a copy so I can sync my brutality with yours.”

“You really shouldn’t make fun of people who are bigger than you, Stark.” He raised a single eyebrow.

“Oh believe it or not I’ve taken down men twice your size.“ Seeing as Gendry was over six-feet tall, that was likely a big exaggeration, but before he could open his mouth to argue she rose from her seat and stalked towards him so that their faces were only inches apart. He was sitting down but they were practically the same height even with her standing up. 

Her gaze on him was defiant and threatening, his was surprised and anxious at their proximity. It was only when bright pink had risen under Gendry’s bright blue eyes that Arya realized how close she was. She stepped back, fighting the similar pink she‘d seen on Gendry’s face from finding its place on hers. 

Suddenly, Arya heard a familiar gravelly voice speak threateningly from behind her. “This guy bothering you, Arya?” Tormund had walked up to place a hand on Arya’s shoulder as he eyed Gendry with protective caution.

“Nothing I can’t handle, Tormund.” She waved a hand backwards towards him. 

“This your boyfriend?” He asked, not loosening his grip. The fire-haired man bore his wild eyes into Gendry’s, as the younger lad averted his eyes nervously.

She shook his hand off lightly. “Definitely not.”

“I have a girlfriend.” Gendry piped up, casually raising his hands as if to defend himself. “Just saying.”

“Of course you do.” Tormund turned to leave. “Call me if you need a hand, little crow.” he told Arya. “Not that you can’t handle this one yourself.” his chuckle resounded like a low rumble.

“Relax, Giantsbane, I’m fine.” Arya called back. She didn’t need anyone protecting her, let alone her brother’s best friend. Although, she was sort of touched by how much he cared—not that she would ever admit it, really. 

“I do have a girlfriend, though.” Gendry sulked. “She’s real hot.”

“Again, I don’t really care.” She did, if only a little. 

Still a little surly, he pouted as he asked, “So what’s the plan?” 

“Alright, so here’s what I had in mind.”

The shortest Stark sat on her desk and faced her open laptop towards Gendry.

“What do our two old farts have in common?” She asked as she smiled smugly.

Gendry was about to argue with her use of the word old, as their two bosses were only a few years older than he was, but decided against it given the recent revelations of her violent and combative personality. “They’re both rich, good-looking, and work in this building?”

Arya furrowed her brows and opened her mouth then closed it as she pursed her lips. “Well, that,” She nodded her head. “Is true but that’s not what I was getting at.”

She tapped a key on her laptop as her screen flashed a picture of Daenerys and her three dogs.

“What am I supposed to be looking at here?” Gendry asked.

“Daenerys,  _your_  boss, is a very well-known dog-lover and rescue supporter.”

“Yeah, I know.” Gendry furrowed his brows at her as she stated the obvious. “And...?”

She tapped another key on her laptop to reveal a picture of Jon with his Husky, Ghost. “Jon here, although not as visible and vocal as Daenerys, is also a dog-lover and rescue supporter.” She paused. “Although, in all honesty, he may not be the best pet-owner.” She recalled the times he’d accidentally left Ghost behind or would leave Ghost with her or Tormund for weeks on end when he was out of town. “But that’s not the point.”

“So what  _is_  the point, Arya?”

With another tap on her keyboard she revealed an elegant graphic that read ‘The Annual Bark n’ Tail Rescue Ball'. “I did a quick background check and apparently both our bosses have given quite the amount to charities for animal rescues and organizations. Not as surprising with your boss, though, given the whole 'philanthropist charity-person thing’.”

“Yeah, Daenerys goes to this ball every year. Though, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed Jon there.” Gendry looked upwards to try and recall all the dog-themed balls he’d been to. 

“Correct.” She said as she raised a finger at him. “Until now.” She smiled in triumph. “Jon has always preferred keeping to himself and staying out of the public eye. Hence the anonymous donations and never attending any events.”

Gendry merely nodded at her, unsure what she was getting at. 

“But, he’s never had an assistant as insistent as me before.” Her smile grew into a grin. “And _this_ assistant,” she pointed her thumb at herself. “Is going to make sure he goes to that ball, meets Daenerys, and falls head over heels for her.”

“So that’s your big plan? Have them both go to this ball, one that you’re not even sure Jon will go to, and  _hope_  that they somehow just have this magical connection?” Gendry asked, beginning to think that he was wasting his time. “And that’s if they even actually see each other, I mean that ball is huge.”

Arya groaned. “You idiot.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “We’re not going to leave that up to chance.  _We_ ,” she waived a finger between the two of them. “are their assistants!” She said exasperated. "We control their schedules, and practically their entire lives. And we going to plan their every move and make sure that they _will_ meet, they _will_ like each other, and they _will_ most definitely shag by the end of the night.”

“We can plan all we want but it’s not up to us to decide if they like each other.” Gendry shrugged. “I thought we’d be setting them up on a blind date, or something. Atleast set the mood for it. You know, romantic candle-lit dinner with meals worth two months of rent?”

“Blind date? Really” She asked, looking very disappointed. “How many romantic comedies have you seen that start with a blind date?”

Gendry feigned surprise. “You never really struck me as the type that enjoyed romcoms.” He teased.

Arya blushed. “Ohmygod.” She softened her eyes. “Please, Gen,—“

“Oh, so we’re on nickname basis now?”

Arya ignored him and continued. “With their stubbornness, we’d be lucky if they’d last thirty minutes on that date. Or even agree to it in the first place.” She leaned forward. “What we need, is something that seems like a chance encounter. Like, getting stuck in an elevator together. Or two singles seated next to each other at a table in a wedding reception!” She smirked. “Except, this one is an annual ball dedicated to saving dogs or something.”

“I’m still leaning towards the whole blind date idea.” Gendry rested his chin on his hand as he placed his elbow on her desk.

“Just,” she rolled her eyes. “C’mon.” She looked at him annoyed.

Gendry sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He contemplated the possible outcomes if Daenerys were to ever find out about his meddling in her lovelife, and none of them looked to go in his favor— or end with his head still intact.

He was about to tell Arya that he was out when his phone buzzed in his pocket. His screen flashed with a picture of his girlfriend, Mel, at an event accompanied with the message, _“too bad u couldn’t come”_. He sighed and put his phone back in his pocket.

“Fine. Let’s go with,” he waved a hand around to find the words. “Whatever your plan is. And pray that it works.”

“It will.” She stated decisively. “Because _I_ happen to know one of the head organizers of the event.”

“Oh really?” He asked sarcastically. “And what’s he gonna do? Have a waiter bump into Daenerys so that Jon can come to the rescue with a bunch of napkins?”

“God, it’s like a pulling teeth.” Arya ran a hand through her hair. “This, is what we’re going to do.” She said with another tap at her laptop.

“Impressive.” Gendry nodded as he scanned the table plans and very detailed schedules of the ball that flashed on Arya’s laptop. “But,” he pointed a finger at one particular area. “Jon and Dany aren’t even on the same table.”

“I already told you. I know a guy. I can make it happen.”

“So what, we’re just supposed to seat them together and hope that they strike up a conversation? Not to mention, we’ll be sitting right next to them pretending that we haven’t been trying to get them in each other’s pants?”

“Oh, Gendry,” She cooed at him as if he were a naive child. “You underestimate the raging desire seated in the hearts and minds of most single young adults on the verge of thirty.”

“I thought we weren’t leaving this to chance?” Gendry asked.

“It’s not chance,” Arya said matter-of-factly. “It’s called being the right combination of lonely and horny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update took a while! Uni got really busy :(( will be updating faster now! As always, comments and critiques are very appreciated. <3


	5. Drink, Sir?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER I'M SO SO SORRY. THIS CHAPTER IS EXTRA LONG, THOUGH :(

“Red?” Arya raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s a huge no-no.”

 

Gendry huffed. “What‘s the big deal with what she wears, anyway?”

 

“You know what the real question is,” Arya began. “Is what we’re doing lined up at this restaurant, which is still closed by the way, at six in the bloody morning?” She half-shouted, attracting the attention of the other people in line.

 

“I already told you,” Gendry sighed. “Daenerys spent a majority of her childhood in Essos,” he said as he tried and failed to suppress a yawn.

 

“And?” Arya asked, hands on her hips.

 

“When she heard that some famous restaurant-whatever-thing from Essos would be opening in the city, she practically swooned at the idea of,” Gendry put his hands in the air to make quotations with his fingers, “reliving her childhood.”

 

The sun was barely out, and the two sleep-deprived assistants were at the very front of a scarily long line to _Asra_ , an hour before it opened.

 

Arya looked up at him thoughtfully. “I get it. I’d kill to get my hands on whatever reminded me of Winterfell.” Gendry didn’t think she was exaggerating when she said _kill_. Still, he smiled as her eyes softened at the mention of what he assumed was her childhood town. Personally, he didn’t have much of a childhood to reminisce and be fond about, seeing as he grew up in dirt-poor Flea Bottom. “Still doesn’t explain what we’re doing here at 6 am, though.”

 

“Breakfast. You know, busy day the rest of the day with the pre-ball show and all.” Gendry rolled his eyes, more to tease her than in actual annoyance. He could already feel the exhaustion and anxiety of the day before it even began. “And, well, it’s an hour before opening and there’s already a line.” He chuckled at remembering her running towards the lift like a madman at their first encounter. “As you’ve experienced first hand, I can’t keep my boss waiting.”

 

Arya huffed. “Still doesn’t explain why _I’m_ here.”

 

Gendry groaned as he ran a hand through his hair. “You’re the one that wanted to meet today.”

 

It was two days before the _Bark n’ Tail Ball_ , and as a sort of pre-event show, the organizers were holding a runway show featuring all the products and items up for bidding to help raise funds that very night.

 

“Yeah, but I thought we could sit for coffee, or plan for later while— I don’t know—we went jogging or something.” she pursed her lips.

 

Gendry feigned surprise. “Stark,” he widened his eyes. “Did you mean to ask me out on a date?”

 

Arya scoffed at him. “You wish.” She punched his arm lightly— or what she meant to be lightly. He stifled a wince as she rambled on. “All I meant was I didn’t think we’d be discussing our plans for later standing around like these idiots.” She said as she gestured to the others in line.

 

Her comment gained some side-eye and less than curt comments from a few fellow bystanders behind them. “Oh suck it.” She glanced at them with her fists clenched.

 

Gendry instinctively positioned himself between Arya and the rightfully-annoyed people in line, just in case things were to go south, as he quickly changed the topic. “So what’s the plan for later?”

 

Arya skimmed through her phone. “I’ve already contacted my guy and asked for them to be seated right beside each other. Plus I asked him to put a couple of old men on either side just to eliminate the competition.” She chuckled to herself. “Not unless Daenerys is into old men.”

 

Arya was... intimidating, to say the least. But Gendry had grown to enjoy her company throughout the brief time they’d known each other—only a little more than two weeks, really. She could be quiet, ruthless, and sometimes even downright mean, heck she pushed him down the stairs once when they were out running errands together— but she’d really begun to open up to him... and him to her.

 

“And where will we be?” He asked, directing his thoughts back to the planning.

 

“Right behind them.” She smirked. “Anything goes wrong, we interrupt and move the topic elsewhere. Like, pretend there was an emergency phone call, or something”

 

Gendry winced. “I wouldn’t exactly recommend interrupting Daenerys. Never pretty.”

 

Arya gave him a bored look. “Jon, then.” She scrolled through her phone again. “Have everything on your end ready?”

 

“Yep.” They’d both agreed to do everything in their power to make their respective bosses in their best of moods before the show. For Daenerys that included a Lana del Rey playlist, no mention of her brother or her exes whatsoever, and Drogon by her side at all times.

 

“Good. I made sure Jon had some Kale Shake, and kept Sandor as far away from him at work as possible—don’t want him to rub any asshole off on Jon. Not to mention I’ve temporarily blocked Ygritte on all his social media accounts—just for now.”

 

“Everything set then?”

 

“Guess it’s showtime.” She nodded as she turned to leave the line.

 

“I still have to get the food though.”

 

She groaned. “Fine.” She furrowed her brows as she turned on her heel and back towards him.

 

“You really don't have to wait for me.” He told her, a brow quirked upward.

 

“This food better be good.” She ignored him, as she shoved her hands into her jean pockets.

 

He only smiled silently in response.

 

———-

 

Arya was more nervous than she’d let on, which was saying a lot because Arya Stark was never nervous. She loved Jon dearly and the possibility of him finally getting over Ygritte would make all the effort she’d been exerting worth it. Also, the thought of not having to drag Ghost to the groomers every other day, and not having to get Jon’s bloody fur coats and leather jackets drycleaned at some ungodly hour seemed very appealing. Plus, Gendry was pretty fun to be around— or fun to make fun of, so she convinced herself.

 

She was in the car with Jon, on the way to the pre-ball show, rubbing her hands around anxiously _like an_ _idiot_.

 

“Can’t believe you actually forced me to go to this.” Jon turned to her in the car, kale shake in hand. “I was fine with just giving money and not having to, you know,” He told her.

 

“Know what?” She asked, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

 

“Interact with people.” He pouted as he took a sip of his kale shake.

 

She’d spent days convincing Jon to attend the ball. He’d only finally relented when Arya threatened to tell Tormund and Ed about that one time on a family trip he‘d literally shit his pants when Robb and Theon played a prank on him when they were younger.

 

_Alright, alright, I’ll go._ He’d said with brows knit together. _I’m the boss._ He mumbled as he stalked away sulking. _I’m the boss._

 

“Oh please, you’ll be fine, Jon.” She assured him. “You might even meet someone.” She teased. _And that someone better be Daenerys_.

 

“Pass.” He scoffed as he brought his phone out to work—or play, it was really only either of the two. The loser had no social life, mostly because he hardly replied to anyone. Sam would often text Arya to ask her to ask Jon to reply to his text messages-- and Tormund had his weekly jokes about Jon having only replied to their group chat thrice, ever. Hell, their sibling group chat had seen little more than a thumbs up from Jon. Even the eerily-stoic-Bran replied more than he did despite the wanker being in his weird indie-film-kid college phase.

 

“Pass?” She asked. “Oh c’mon Jon, you gotta get back in the game before you get all old and wrinkly!”

 

He stared at her in disbelief “Arya, I’m twenty-nine. How in the hell is that _even close_ to old and wrinkly?”

 

She shrugged. “It is, like, almost thirty, so...” she trailed off.

 

“So?”

 

“You aren’t getting any younger.”

 

“Says the girl who’s never even had an actual boyfriend.” He scoffed.

 

“Hey!” She slapped his arm. “It’s out of choice and standards, okay?” She told him as he laughed. “Plus, I’m in my early twenties, I have all the time in the world.”

 

He just grumbled in response and went back to whatever it was he was doing on his phone.

 

She too brought her phone out as she put her screen on a ready photo of Daenerys looking absolutely stunning.

 

“Hey you ever heard of Daenerys Targaeryen?” She asked him.

 

“Who?” He asked nonchalantly, not looking away from his phone.

 

“Charity lady. Publisher. Works in our building.” She said, showing him her picture.

 

Without a glance, he merely mumbled something that sounded like ‘i guess’.

 

Arya continued. “She’s real fit, isn’t she?”

 

“Dunno.” He shrugged.

 

Despite his disinterest, she didn’t let it faze her. She simply had to introduce the thought of Dany to him. She was always _quite_ good at manipulation— scratch that, not quite, but very good. “I hear she’ll be at the show later.”

 

“Good for her.” He attempted a smile at Arya.

 

“Amazing woman, I hear.” She mused. “Lots of spunk— doesn’t take shit. Don’t you love that in a woman, Jon?”

 

When he failed to reply with more than a humm in agreement, she resigned her attempt and slid back into her seat.

_“_ I hear dad and Robb are coming downtown on a business trip a few weeks from now.” She said to him.

 

He smiled. “I know.” He looked at her. “It’s been forever since we’ve seen them, hasn’t it?”

 

“I’ve missed them.” She nodded. “Dad more than Robb, but don’t tell Robb that.”

 

He laughed as they shared a grin.

 

“You look good, by the way.” She punched his arm lightly.

 

He chuckled as he shook his head. “You too, kid.”

 

———-

 

_Wru?_ Arya was seated behind Jon at the runway, looking around texting and waiting for Gendry and his boss to arrive.

 

**_Almost there._ **

 

_Hurry. Some dimwit beside me won’t stop talking 2 me. Any longer n I’ll snap his neck._

 

**_What did we talk about just the other day about violence, Arya._ **

 

_Ure not my boss. Jon is. u can go fuq off._

 

**_Alright. You have fun murdering whatshisface._ **

 

_Wait, no, i need ur boss to bone mine come back._

 

**_Here._ **

 

Arya’s eyes found his as he gave her an almost indiscernible nod. She’d only slightly raised her eyebrows in recognition to avoid Jon or Daenerys noticing. Daenerys was wearing a long and tight-fitting golden dress, almost the same color as her hair. Arya was never one to gush, but even she couldn’t help but think that Daenerys looked like an actual goddess.

 

As Dany took her seat beside Jon, Jon being the gentleman he was, looked up at her and gave a curt nod and a small smile. Daenerys returned his greeting as she faced towards the runway.

 

They sat in silence for a few minutes as they waited for the show to begin.

 

_What now_? Gendry texted Arya.

 

**Just wait**

 

She just looked at him from the corner of his eye as she nodded and brought her phone back up to look at a text from Jon.

 

_Jon: Did you know?_

 

**Know what?** Jon glanced back at Arya as he was typing on his phone.

 

_The lass you kept mentioning earlier. This is her right?_

 

She slid forward oh-so-slightly to pretend to look at Daenerys as she made a conscious effort to widen her eyes and drop her jaw open.

_Shit I think it is_! She typed as she feigned surprise.

 

She observed as Jon casually and discretely eyed Daenerys from top to bottom.

 

Arya jokingly texted him _her eyes are on her face Jon_

 

Jon only glared at her in return.

 

“Drink, sir?” A young man had approached Jon, holding out a tray with an assortment of drinks.

 

“Just water please.” He mumbled as he took the drink he was handed.

 

Arya shared a look with the young man, as she swiftly flicked her eyes towards Daenerys and back. As Gendry eyed Arya with suspicion, a sudden gasp from his boss startled him.

 

“I’m so sorry, Ma’am!” The young man said as he scrambled to find a cloth to wipe Daenerys’ golden dress. The boy had appeared to have spilled a drink onto Dany, just as he was handing it to her.

 

“It’s fine.” Daenerys forcefully smiled with concealed her irritation. She exhaled sharply as she examined the damage.

 

Arya was quick to gather a large handkerchief from her bag as she lunged forward to hand it to Jon.

 

Albeit a bit confused, Jon swiftly took the handkerchief and turned to Daenerys. “May I be of any help, Miss?” He asked her, brows furrowed in concern.

 

Daenerys looked up at him with her large doe-eyes, as the irritation faded from her face. She took the handkerchief from Jon’s hand as she smiled up at the young boy, who was still apologizing profusely. “It’s alright, really. Nothing but a bit of a splash.”

 

“Thank you.” She turned back to Jon as she pat at her thighs with the cloth. “Hero ready to swoop in and save the damsel, are we?” She teased.

 

He smiled back at her. “You don’t really seem like the type that needs saving,” he replied.

 

She quirked an eyebrow in amusement. “I’ll take that as a compliment, then.”

 

“It is.”

 

_Bingo,_ Arya thought as she shared a look with Gendry, who mouthed an annoyed, and equally confused, ‘ _what the fuc_ k’ as he furrowed his brows at her and began to text furiously.

 

_I thought the whole spilling napkin idea was stupid._

 

Arya only rolled her eyes and smirked.

 

Gendry pout his lips as she sent him a text.

 

**_Gave the guy a tenner to splash a bit on ur boss._ **

 

“Oh and I’m the stupid one?” He mumbled to her. 

 

Arya shrugged in reply as he turned his attention back to their bosses.

 

“He’s beautiful!” Daenerys cooed, as Jon showed her Ghost’s picture on his phone.

 

Both Gendry and Arya shared a smile as in the mere seconds that they turned away, the two had already struck a conversation.

 

“Thank you.” He smiled.

 

Arya nudged Gendry with her elbow as she winked at him.

 

“May I see yours?” Jon asked.

 

“Of course!” Daenerys excitedly brought her phone up as she scrolled past a few pictures of her and her dogs.

 

_Guess we can relax now. Think they’d notice if we got up and got a drink?_ Gendry texted Arya.

 

**_Probably not._** ** _L_** ** _et’s go?_** Arya replied.

 

——

 

"Well, thanks for the heads up." Gendry smiled at Arya sarcastically as they reached the open bar.

 

"Heh." Arya smiled sheepily. "It worked didn't it?"

 

"You could have at least told me what you were planning to do. It's called courtesy, Stark." Gendry turned to face her straight on, 

 

"So I paid someone to spill some alcohol on your boss." Arya shrugged him off. "It's not a big deal, Waters. They're talking now, aren't they?" Arya held up two fingers to the bartender. "Two glasses please."

 

"Listen," he furrowed his brows, "When you said you wanted to work together, I thought you meant  _together_."

 

"I guess I'm just used to doing things on my own." She answered harshly, not bothering to look at him. 

 

"Don't give me that lone wolf bullshit." He replied. She looked up at him half expecting him to be angry, but his eyes were surprisingly soft and his features concerned. She wasn't really used to getting called out. Most were too afraid of her or just didn't care enough. "We agreed to this shit show together, so we're going to do it together. No going off doing our own thing without telling the other. Plus, both our asses are on the line here."

 

"You're right." She sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Gen." She said as she took the drinks from the bartender and handed one to Gendry. 

 

The taller man smirked. "You're sorry? Well that's a first. Is that really you, Stark?"

 

"Oh please, you've only known me for two weeks. We're hardly even friends." She joked.

 

"You wound me, Arya." He said as he clutched his chest in mock-pain as they headed back towards their seats.

 

They walked together in silence until Arya opened her mouth to speak. "I really am sorry, Gendry."

 

He paused to smile at her. He gestured his head to the area their bosses were seated. "Let's get these two shagging."

 

\----

 

Obviously, Gendry and Arya's presence had not been missed by either of their bosses. As most of the audience were boredly waiting for the show to begin, Jon and Dany were chatting up a storm. 

 

"God, I had no idea you worked in King's Landing too!" Daenerys grinned. "I know it's not really allowed, but I sneak Drogon and the boys into our office almost every day."

 

"Really?" Jon asked, with more enthusiasm than Arya'd seen from him when Sam had accidentally eaten Sandor's chicken from the office pantry. "I can almost never bring Ghost in. The boy's much too big."

 

"Can I see a picture, again? Like, how big is he, really?"

 

Jon handed her his phone as she showed her a picture of him standing next to Ghost, with Ghost standing far past his waist. 

 

"I really hope you could bring him to King's Landing, sometime." She paused timidly, "I'd love to see him."

 

Jon smiled. "Of course. I'd love to meet Viserion, Drogon, and Rhaegal too."

 

"You remembered all their names." She chuckled. "Most just say Drogon and mumble the rest.

 

He laughed as he held up his phone and swiped to the right to reveal a picture of Ygritte with Ghost. Almost instantly, their flirty demeanors had disappeared.

 

“She’s lovely.” Daenerys said with a voice Gendry recognized as the one she used to fake amusement with clients. He picked up how she masked her disappointment with a smile. “Your girlfriend?” She looked to him, eyes wide in question.

 

Jon clenched his jaw and forced a small smile. “Ah, well, no—not anymore, really.”

 

Daenerys’ face lit up, if only so slightly. But her rise in mood did not go unnoticed by Arya and Gendry. “I love what Ghost is wearing.” She attempted to change the topic as she referred to Ghost all dolled up in a cowboy hat and boots. “You sure know how to —.”

 

Jon masked a scoff with a cough. “No, I’m afraid that’s not my doing—I’m thankful it isn’t actually.”

 

“Thankful?” She said, her plastered smile slowly fading.

 

“Sorry, er, she picked that.” He said as she pointed to Ygritte. “If with a little—or a lot, rather, of force and nagging.”

 

“Well, he looks rather cute really. And dashing with our without the cowboy boots.” She told him, the confusion still evident in her voice and face.

 

“Cute?” He laughed sarcastically. “More like stupid. Poor boy made to doll up like some Barbie toy.”

 

“I dress my dogs up. I don’t see anything wrong with making them look more presentable.” Her smile was gone now and her brows were knit together. “It may not be a daily thing, but there’s nothing wrong with dolling them up every once and a while.”

 

“Now that it’s just up to me, I’d never have Ghost parade around in anything.” _Uh-oh_. “Lest he look like some pin-up chihuahah in a lady’s handbag.”

 

“Do you think that dressing pets up is beneath you?” She asked. 

 

“Well honestly, I think it’s rather unnecessary and an insult to the animals.”

 

“An insult?” She repeated, unsure of where he was going. 

 

“Like this runway here. I really don’t see the point of these events, honestly.” _Oh no._  “Here they are, parading our pets around as if it were the circus. If you think about it, this has to be some form of exploitation.“

 

“Pardon?” Daenerys said with irritation in her voice. “This is quite the noble and wholesome event, and you’re concerned about it being what exactly?”

 

He shrugged. “Contrived.”

 

“Contrived?” She repeated, her eyebrows raised and her face incredulous. “These people put in all this effort to help raise funds for animals and rescues, and you call their attempts contrived?”

 

“Not their efforts.” He said slowly, emphasizing it as if she were a small child. “Just the whole concept of it. Having pets parading around in costumes? Like they’re some accessory to be worn or some showpiece to be displayed.” His voice was harsher now— calm but harsh.

 

“You’re taking this entirely out of hand.” She laughed annoyedly, as she pressed her hands into the other. Arya and Gendry exchanged fearful looks. “You’ve taken something good and innocent, and injected malice into it. Blowing its implications entirely out of proportion.”

 

“Look,” he sighed. “I’m not insulting anyone, or belittling anyone's efforts. All I’m saying is that the sheer concept of a cowboy hat or little Chanel boots on a dog is idiotic. And having them walk around wearing them on a runway for our enjoyment? I’m sure they don’t appreciate it.”

 

“Oh, so are you some dog whisperer then?” She laughed. “What do they tell you, oh please, I’d love to know.”

 

Jon bit his lip. “If they could speak I’m sure they wouldn’t agree to this idiocy.”

 

“You’re joking, right?” Her laugh dripped with sarcasm. “If you don’t agree with all this ‘messed up show of animal exploitation’, then why are you even here?”

 

The raise in both their voices was loud enough to jerk the sleeping man beside Jon.

 

Arya and Gendry shared a wide-eyed and fearful look as their plans were unravelling right before their very eyes.

 

As Jon struggled to reply, Daenerys’ lips curled into an irksome smirk. “Well?”

 

As he opened and closed his mouth she interrupted any thoughts he was about to form as she promptly took his handkerchief from her lap and waved it in front of him. "If you have nothing else to say, I'll just have this washed and have it sent to your office tomorrow. It was nice meeting you." She said as she turned away from him and stood up. "Gendry," she turned to her assistant whose mouth was agape in shock and confusion. "I'm not feeling very well, ring the driver to pick us up, will you?" She said as she walked away, leaving an annoyed Jon and very worried Arya and Gendry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack!!! Sorry for the super long update. :( Lots of stuff in Uni happened. :( Actually wrote this more than a month back but never had time to post it. :( Again, comments and suggestions are very appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic. Please feel free to leave suggestions and comments haha :(


End file.
